Victory for Salt River Wild Horses: Bill to Protect the Herd Passes the AZ Senate!

Phoenix, Arizona (April 11, 2016) - Wild horse advocates are declaring victory for the Salt River wild horses after today’sSenatevote of 27-2 in favor of HB 2340,legislationto protect the cherished wild horse herd. The House passed the bill on Feb. 25, and thelegislationwill now head back there for concurrence on amendments added in the Senate to strengthen thelegislation, before moving on to the Governor’s desk for signature into law.

The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group and the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation) are applauding the vote and celebrating this monumental victory for wild horses. Supporters and volunteers on horseback are celebrating right now by flying the American and Arizona Flags from atop a hill at Coons Bluff in the middle of the wild horses' habitat in the Tonto National Forest.

The bill criminalizes the harassment or killing of a Salt River wild horse, clarifies that they are not stray animals, and establishes a process to humanely manage the horses in a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the State Department of Agriculture, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department and the community.

TheSalt River Wild Horse Management Groupis an Arizona non-profit organization established to protect, monitor and scientifically study the Salt River Wild Horses. The SRWHMG has been spearheading the effort to secure lasting protections for this iconic and beloved wild horse herd in the Tonto National Forest.

TheAmerican Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation)(AWHC) is dedicated to defending America’s wild horses and burros to protect their freedom, preserve their habitat, and promote humane standards of treatment. AWHC’s mission is endorsed by a coalition of more than 60 horse advocacy, public interest, and conservation organizations.